Convert: Web to PDF — every question, answered
117detailed answers covering installation, conversion, customization, every major social and content site, comparisons with Chrome's built-in print and other tools, privacy, and troubleshooting. Can't find your question? Email us.
1. Getting started & installation
How do I install Convert: Web to PDF?
Open the Chrome Web Store listing, click "Add to Chrome", and confirm. The extension icon appears in your toolbar within a few seconds. There's no setup wizard, no account, no email signup. You can start converting webpages immediately.
Is Convert: Web to PDF really free?
Yes. No trial, no subscription, no premium tier. Every feature is unlocked the moment you install. The extension is self-funded and has no ads, no upsell, and no premium tier on the roadmap.
Do I need to create an account?
No. The extension never asks for an email, name, or any login. There's no account because there's no server-side user state — all your settings live in your local Chrome profile.
What permissions does the extension ask for, and why?
It requests activeTab (to read the current page when you click Convert), scripting (to inject the article-mode and remove-element tools), debugger (Chrome's DevTools Protocol — this is what generates the real selectable-text PDF), storage (to remember your paper size and other preferences locally), downloads (to save the PDF to your computer), and contextMenus (for the right-click "Convert this page" entry). It also has one host permission for our analytics endpoint, used only for the anonymous conversion counter.
Is the "debugger" permission dangerous?
The permission name is intimidating but the use is narrow. Chrome's DevTools Protocol is the only documented API that lets an extension generate a real selectable-text PDF. The extension attaches the debugger to the current tab only when you trigger a conversion, and detaches immediately after. It does not log network traffic, read keystrokes, or run on other tabs.
Is this extension safe? How do I know it's not malware?
The extension is published under the developer name "Actually Useful Extensions" on the official Chrome Web Store, which means Google's automated and manual review process has cleared it. The source is reviewed for every release. It collects no browsing data, makes zero network requests during conversion, and the privacy policy at /privacy/convert-web-to-pdf/ documents exactly what does and doesn't happen.
How do I open the extension after installing?
Click the puzzle-piece icon in Chrome's toolbar, find Convert: Web to PDF in the dropdown, and click the pin icon to keep it visible. After pinning, the extension icon stays in the toolbar for one-click access. You can also press Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) on any page to convert immediately, or right-click a page and choose "Convert this page to PDF".
Does installing it slow down Chrome?
No. The extension is dormant until you click its icon or fire the keyboard shortcut. It does not run a background script that monitors your browsing. Memory footprint is negligible when idle.
2. Basic conversion
How do I convert a webpage to PDF?
Open the page you want to save, click the Convert: Web to PDF extension icon (or press Ctrl+Shift+P / Cmd+Shift+P), pick paper size and orientation in the popup, click "Convert". A preview tab opens showing the PDF, where you can download or share. The whole flow takes 3–10 seconds for most pages.
What's the keyboard shortcut to convert the current page?
Ctrl+Shift+P on Windows/Linux, Cmd+Shift+P on Mac. There's also Ctrl+Shift+S / Cmd+Shift+S for Article Mode (extracts the main content and skips the preview).
Where does the PDF download to?
To Chrome's default download folder (usually ~/Downloads on Mac/Linux or C:\Users\<you>\Downloads on Windows). To change the folder, edit Chrome's download location in Settings → Downloads. The extension respects whatever Chrome is set to.
Can I rename the PDF before saving?
Yes. In the preview tab, the filename appears at the top — click to edit it before downloading. The default filename uses the webpage's title.
Can I convert multiple tabs at once?
Not yet. v1.0.14 converts one tab at a time. Batch conversion of multiple tabs is on the roadmap. For now, use the keyboard shortcut to step through tabs quickly.
Is there a maximum page length the extension can handle?
There's no hard limit. Pages up to several thousand pixels tall convert routinely. Extremely long pages (50,000+ pixels, like some Wikipedia archive pages) may take 15–30 seconds. Memory is the limiting factor — pages large enough to crash Chrome itself are the only practical ceiling.
Can I convert just a portion of the page?
Yes — use "Capture Element". After triggering capture mode, hover over the element you want (an article, a chart, a tweet), and click. The PDF will contain only that element and its visual ancestors.
Does the conversion happen on my computer or on a server?
Entirely on your computer. The extension uses Chrome's local print engine (the same engine that powers Chrome's built-in "Save as PDF"). Nothing about the page is uploaded to our servers or anywhere else.
3. Output quality
Will the PDF have selectable text and working hyperlinks?
Yes. The output is a true PDF generated by Chrome's print engine — selectable text, copy/pasteable content, clickable hyperlinks, properly embedded fonts, and a real document structure. It is not a flat screenshot. You can search inside the PDF in any viewer that supports text indexing.
Is the PDF searchable in PDF viewers like Preview or Adobe Acrobat?
Yes. Because the text is embedded as text (not pixels), search, highlight, annotation, copy-paste, and accessibility tools (screen readers) all work correctly.
Why does the PDF look different from the webpage on screen?
Three usual causes: (1) the page has a separate print stylesheet that hides or rearranges elements when printing, (2) the page uses CSS that depends on the screen width — switching to a paper size like A4 narrows the viewport, (3) background colors and images are off by default to save ink. Try toggling "Include background graphics" in the popup to fix #3, or use Article Mode to bypass print stylesheets entirely.
Why are some images missing from the PDF?
Usually because they're lazy-loaded and hadn't appeared yet when the page was captured. The extension automatically pre-scrolls to trigger lazy-load — but on some single-page apps (SPAs) the script doesn't catch all images. Workaround: scroll through the page manually first, then convert.
How do I make sure background colors and images appear?
In the popup, enable "Print background graphics". This is off by default to save ink for printing scenarios but should be on if your goal is digital archiving or visual fidelity.
Why does the text look squished or overlapping?
Almost always because the page's CSS uses fixed pixel widths that don't fit your chosen paper size. Try a larger paper size (A3 or Tabloid), or set scale to 75–85% in the popup to shrink everything proportionally.
Why is my PDF blank or mostly empty?
If the page is a single-page web app that renders content with JavaScript, conversion may fire before the content has appeared. Wait for the page to fully load, scroll past anything you want included, then trigger conversion. If the issue persists, switch to Article Mode — it waits for the readable content to settle before capturing.
Will fonts render correctly in the PDF?
Yes. Web fonts (Google Fonts, custom fonts loaded via @font-face) are embedded in the PDF when generated. The result looks identical to the page on screen, and the fonts travel with the PDF — anyone you send it to sees the same typography.
Are forms, checkboxes, and interactive elements preserved?
The visual appearance is preserved (you'll see a checkbox in its current state), but interactivity is not — PDFs from a webpage are static documents, not living forms. To preserve form fields as fillable PDF inputs, you'd need a specialized PDF form generator.
Why does the layout reflow into a single column?
Because A4 / Letter portrait orientation is much narrower than most desktop browser windows. The page's CSS sees the smaller viewport and reflows the layout accordingly. Choose Landscape orientation, a wider paper size (Tabloid / Ledger), or scale down to 75% to keep more of the multi-column layout.
4. Customization (paper size, orientation, margins, scale)
What paper sizes are supported?
A3, A4, A5, B4, B5, Letter, Legal, Tabloid, and Ledger. Custom dimensions can be set by editing margins, scale, or by using "Single Page Mode" (which auto-sizes the paper to fit the whole capture in one page).
What's the difference between A4 and Letter?
A4 (210 × 297 mm) is the international standard, used everywhere except the US and Canada. Letter (8.5 × 11 in, ~216 × 279 mm) is the US and Canadian standard. A4 is slightly narrower and taller; Letter is slightly wider and shorter. Pick whichever matches what people printing or filing the PDF expect to see.
How do I switch between portrait and landscape?
In the popup, toggle the orientation segmented control. Landscape is useful for wide-layout dashboards, spreadsheets, and pages where preserving the original multi-column layout matters more than the page count.
How do I set page margins?
Open the popup and expand "More options". You'll see top, right, bottom, and left margin sliders measured in inches. Defaults are 0.4 in top/left/right and 0.56 in bottom (the bottom has extra room for page numbers if you display them). Set everything to 0 for an edge-to-edge PDF.
How do I scale the content to fit one page?
Enable "Single Page Mode" in the popup. The extension measures the rendered content height, then sets the paper height to exactly fit it. The result is a single tall page — useful for long articles where you don't want awkward breaks.
Can I print page headers and footers like "page 1 of 4" or the URL?
Yes. In the popup, enable "Display header and footer". You'll get the page title in the header and the URL plus page number in the footer. You can also leave them off for a cleaner archive PDF.
Does it support dark mode capture?
If the webpage you're viewing is in dark mode (via the site's own theme or a Chrome extension like Dark Reader), the PDF will capture that dark mode. The extension respects whatever the page is currently rendering. Note: print stylesheets sometimes override dark mode — use Article Mode or set "Emulate Media" to "screen" if the dark theme isn't carrying through.
Does it support custom paper sizes?
Not as freeform width/height inputs, but Single Page Mode effectively gives you a custom-height paper, and the margin/scale controls let you fine-tune almost any output dimension. If you need fully arbitrary paper sizes (e.g. for a print shop), let us know — it's tracked as a feature request.
5. Article Mode, Capture Element, and Remove Elements
What's Article Mode?
Article Mode strips the page down to just the main content — the title, byline, body text, and inline images — and skips everything else (navigation, sidebars, comments, related-article widgets, ads, cookie popups). It uses Mozilla's Readability algorithm, the same one that powers Firefox's reader view. Best for news articles, blog posts, and long-form content.
When should I use Article Mode vs. the default mode?
Use Article Mode when you want a clean, readable PDF of an article and don't care about preserving the original page layout. Use the default mode when you want a pixel-accurate snapshot of the page exactly as you saw it — dashboards, receipts, design references, login-protected portals.
Why does Article Mode show the wrong content?
Readability looks for the densest block of human-readable text on the page. On unusual layouts (image-heavy galleries, single-question Q&A sites, very short posts), it can pick the wrong block. Fall back to the default mode in those cases.
Does Article Mode preserve images?
Yes. Images that are part of the article body — figures, screenshots, illustrations — are preserved in the order they appear. Decorative images (page background, sidebar thumbnails, author avatars in some layouts) are usually stripped.
What's Capture Element?
Capture Element lets you click a single element on the page (an article body, a chart, a tweet, a recipe card, a single table) and convert just that element to PDF. The rest of the page is excluded. Useful when you want a snippet rather than the whole page.
How is Capture Element different from Article Mode?
Article Mode is automatic — it tries to find the main content for you. Capture Element is manual — you point at the exact element you want. Use Capture Element when Article Mode picks the wrong block, or when you want something Article Mode wouldn't (e.g. a single chart in a dashboard).
How do I remove ads, popups, or other elements before exporting?
Open the extension popup and click "Remove Elements". The page enters delete-mode: hover any element to highlight it, click to delete. Press Escape to exit. You can also use the undo button in the on-screen toolbar to bring back accidentally-deleted elements. Once you're happy with what's visible, trigger conversion as normal.
Are deletions saved for next time?
No — deletions are per-session and reset when you reload the page. The extension does not store CSS selectors for re-blocking. If you want persistent blocking, pair it with uBlock Origin or an element-zapper, then convert the cleaned page.
Why does deleting one element delete a whole section?
Because the element you clicked on was the parent of a section. The extension deletes the entire DOM node you selected and its children. If you wanted just one piece, click closer to the element itself (deeper in the DOM) — try clicking precisely on the text or image rather than the surrounding empty space.
Can I undo a deletion?
Yes. The Remove Elements mode includes an undo button in its on-screen toolbar. Each undo restores the most recently deleted element. You can undo all the way back to the original page.
What does "Hide sticky elements" do?
Many sites have sticky headers, sticky navigation bars, or sticky cookie consent banners that follow you as you scroll. Without intervention, the sticky element ends up overlaid across every page of the PDF. Hide sticky elements removes them before conversion, leaving the rest of the page intact.
6. Long pages, infinite scroll, and dynamic content
Does it handle infinite scroll pages?
Partially. The extension captures whatever content currently exists in the DOM at the time of conversion. For infinite scroll, you need to scroll to the desired endpoint first — past that point, new content has not been requested by the page yet and cannot be captured.
Does it handle lazy-loaded images?
Yes. Before capture, the extension auto-scrolls the page to trigger lazy-load on every image. After the auto-scroll completes, it waits ~800ms for images to finish decoding before generating the PDF. If lazy images still don't appear on a specific site, manually scroll the page top-to-bottom once before converting.
How do I capture content that's below the fold and hasn't loaded?
Scroll to it first. The page needs to fetch and render the content before the extension can capture it. The auto-scroll handles most lazy-load cases, but manual scroll guarantees it.
Why does the PDF cut off partway through?
Either the page is using virtual scrolling (only DOM nodes near the current scroll position exist — content above and below is destroyed and recreated as you scroll), or a script changed the page's layout after capture began. For virtual-scroll pages (some Twitter feeds, large Notion documents), conversion captures only what's currently rendered.
Does it work on single-page apps (React, Vue, Next.js sites)?
Yes. The extension captures the page after JavaScript has fully rendered it, not the raw HTML source. So whatever you see in the browser is what gets captured, regardless of the framework used to build it.
Will it wait for an animation or transition to finish before capturing?
Partially. There's a built-in ~800ms settle delay after the auto-scroll completes, which catches most short animations. For long animations or staged reveals, manually wait until the page is settled, then trigger conversion.
7. Login-protected and private pages
Can I save Gmail emails as PDF?
Yes. Open the email you want, then trigger Article Mode for a clean text-focused capture, or use the default mode for the full Gmail UI as you see it. Because the extension runs locally and uses your already-logged-in session, it works on Gmail content that no server-based converter can access.
Can I save my Notion pages?
Yes. Open the Notion page in Chrome, scroll through it once to ensure all blocks have rendered, then convert. For very long Notion pages, Single Page Mode is useful so you don't get awkward block-mid-break splits. Note that nested toggles must be expanded before capture — collapsed toggles only render the summary line.
Can I save Google Docs as PDF this way?
Yes, though Google Docs has its own built-in "Download as PDF" that gives a slightly cleaner result for plain document content (since it bypasses the editor UI). Use the extension when you want a snapshot of the doc with comments visible, or when you're saving a Google Docs page you don't own and can't export from.
Will it work on banking dashboards?
Yes — this is one of the main reasons to use a local extension over an online converter. Because conversion runs in your already-authenticated session, it can save statements, dashboards, and account summaries that no online tool can reach. Because the conversion is 100% local, the page content never leaves your device.
Does the webpage need to be public for this to work?
No. The extension converts whatever your browser is currently showing — public or private. Online PDF converters can only see public pages (because they fetch the URL from their server), which is why they fail on logged-in content.
Will the page's cookies, session, or login state be sent anywhere?
No. All conversion happens locally. Your cookies and login state never leave your browser. The only network activity is the anonymous post-conversion ping (which contains no URL, no content, just a random install token).
8. Specific sites (Twitter, Reddit, LinkedIn, Substack, Medium, Wikipedia, more)
How do I save a Twitter (X) thread as PDF?
Open the first tweet in the thread, expand all replies you want to include, scroll through the whole thread to ensure tweets render, then trigger conversion. Use the default mode (not Article Mode — Readability does not handle Twitter's structure well). For long threads, enable Single Page Mode to avoid page breaks splitting tweets in half.
How do I save a Reddit post and its comments as PDF?
Open the post, expand any "continue this thread" links and "load more comments" buttons for the comments you want, then convert. The default mode preserves the nested comment structure. For very long comment threads, Single Page Mode keeps the indentation hierarchy readable across one continuous page.
How do I save a LinkedIn post as PDF?
Open the post directly (click the post timestamp to get its own URL), trigger conversion. Use Article Mode if you want just the post body and skip the LinkedIn UI; use the default mode if you want the comments and reactions included.
How do I save a Substack article as PDF without the paywall popup?
Open the article. If a paywall or subscription popup appears, use Remove Elements to click and delete the popup (and the dark overlay behind it). Then trigger Article Mode. Note: this only works for content you're already entitled to see — it doesn't bypass actual paywalled content the page is hiding from your browser.
How do I save a Medium article as PDF without the member overlay?
Same approach as Substack: use Remove Elements to dismiss the "join Medium" overlay if it appears, then trigger Article Mode. Article Mode extracts the article body and skips the surrounding overlay UI in most cases anyway.
How do I save a Wikipedia article as PDF?
You have two options. Wikipedia has its own built-in "Download as PDF" tool (under the Tools menu) which gives a book-style PDF — good for printing. The extension gives a snapshot of the page exactly as it looks in Chrome — better for citation and archival. For citation, the extension is preferable because it preserves the exact appearance, version, and any images you actually saw.
How do I save a YouTube transcript as PDF?
Open the video, click "..." under the player, choose "Show transcript". Once the transcript panel is visible, use Capture Element to click the transcript and convert just that. You get a clean text-only PDF of the transcript without the rest of the YouTube UI.
How do I save a Slack thread as PDF?
Open the thread, scroll to the top to load all messages, then convert with the default mode. For long threads, Single Page Mode is recommended. Note: Slack lazy-loads older messages — scrolling up loads them.
How do I save a Discord channel as PDF?
Discord uses virtual scrolling, which means only the messages currently visible exist in the DOM. The extension captures only what's rendered. For longer ranges, you'd need to scroll across the time range you want and capture in chunks.
How do I save a Notion database view as PDF?
Open the view, expand or scroll through the rows you want to include, then convert. The default mode preserves the table or board layout. Notion's own export gives cleaner results for plain pages — the extension is better for capturing exactly the view as configured (filters, sorts, visible properties).
How do I save an Amazon order receipt or product page as PDF?
Open the order details or product page, convert in default mode. The extension preserves images, pricing, and your account-specific information. Because the conversion is local, your Amazon login session is used and nothing about the page is sent to a third party.
How do I save a Google Maps view as PDF?
Pan and zoom the map to the exact view you want, wait for tiles to fully load, then convert. Note: Google Maps is heavily JavaScript-rendered, so capture works best with Capture Element pointed at the map div. Some interactive overlays may render differently in the PDF.
How do I save a Twitter / X profile as PDF?
Open the profile, scroll down to load the tweets you want included (Twitter lazy-loads tweets as you scroll), then convert. For just the profile header and pinned tweet, use Capture Element pointed at the top of the profile.
9. Comparisons with other tools
How does it compare to Chrome's built-in Print to PDF?
Chrome's built-in works fine for simple, fully-loaded pages. It struggles with lazy-loaded images (they're absent from the PDF), sticky headers (repeated on every page), cookie banners (baked in), and pages where the print stylesheet differs from screen. The extension pre-scrolls to trigger lazy-load, hides sticky elements, lets you remove unwanted elements before conversion, and offers Article Mode for clean reading captures.
Why not use GoFullPage and convert the screenshot to PDF?
GoFullPage and similar full-page-screenshot extensions produce image PDFs — the text is not selectable, links don't work, and search inside the PDF fails. They also can't strip ads or extract just the article. Convert: Web to PDF produces real, selectable, searchable PDFs.
How does it compare to Smallpdf or iLovePDF?
Smallpdf and iLovePDF are server-based: you upload the page (or paste the URL) and they convert on their servers. That means they (a) cannot access pages behind your login, (b) require uploading content, raising privacy concerns for sensitive pages, (c) have free-tier limits that the extension does not have. The extension works on any page your browser can see, runs entirely locally, and has no usage limit.
How does it compare to Adobe Acrobat's online webpage-to-PDF?
Adobe's tool is server-based and requires either a subscription or login for repeated use. It also cannot reach login-protected pages. The extension is free, has no usage limits, works on any page (including private ones), and runs locally for full privacy.
Why not just use the browser's Reader Mode or Pocket?
Reader Mode and read-later apps (Pocket, Instapaper, Readwise) optimize for reading on the same device or in their own app. They don't produce a portable file you can email, archive, annotate in Preview, or store in a folder. The extension's job is to produce a clean, portable PDF that lives outside the browser.
How does it compare to Print Friendly?
Print Friendly is similar in spirit (clean print output) but server-based and ad-supported in its free version. The extension is fully local, ad-free, and works on private pages Print Friendly can't reach.
How does it compare to URL-based converters like Webtopdf.space or PDFCrowd?
URL-based converters fetch the page from their server, which means: (a) they only see the public version of the page (not your logged-in view), (b) the conversion happens in their headless browser, which often misses interactive content, (c) the URL and page content are sent to their server. The extension uses your actual logged-in browser, captures exactly what you see, and never sends the page anywhere.
10. Privacy, security & data
Does the extension collect or track my browsing?
No personal or behavioral data. After each successful conversion, the extension sends one tiny anonymous ping containing only a random install token — no URL, no page content, no IP (Cloudflare strips it), nothing that traces back to you. We use that ping to count total daily conversions across the user base, nothing more. The privacy policy at /privacy/convert-web-to-pdf/ documents every detail.
What's the "anonymous install token" mentioned in the privacy policy?
A random string generated the first time you open the extension and stored in your local Chrome profile. It's not a Google ID, not a Chrome profile ID, not linked to your name, your email, your IP, or your browsing. Two devices belonging to the same person produce two unrelated tokens. The token cannot be reversed to identify you.
Can I disable the anonymous counter?
Not via UI yet — that's tracked as a v1.0.15 feature. You can effectively disable it by blocking the request in a network filter (uBlock Origin: add a rule for web-to-pdf-analytics.actuallyusefulextensions.workers.dev). Doing so removes you from our counts entirely.
Does the extension see what I'm converting?
The extension needs to read the current page's DOM to convert it — that's how PDF generation works — but the content never leaves your browser. No URL, content, screenshot, or excerpt is logged or transmitted.
Is the PDF stored anywhere besides my device?
No. The PDF is generated in Chrome's local print pipeline and saved to your computer's Downloads folder. Nothing about the file (its contents, its size, its filename) is transmitted.
Is it CCPA / GDPR compliant?
Yes. The extension collects no personal information under the CCPA or GDPR definitions. The anonymous install token is not considered personal data (it's not linked to identity, contact info, or behavior). There is nothing to delete or export because there's nothing identifiable stored. The privacy policy spells out the full legal basis.
Does the extension request any data from third parties?
No. The extension makes one network request: the anonymous post-conversion ping to our own Cloudflare Worker endpoint. It does not load any third-party scripts, fonts, or trackers at any point.
Will my company's IT or DLP tools flag the extension?
Most DLP tools focus on uploads to cloud storage or unknown domains. The extension makes one outbound request per conversion to our analytics endpoint (no content, just a token). If your IT requires zero outbound calls, you can block our domain in their endpoint controls — conversion still works locally, you just won't appear in our aggregate counts.
11. Compatibility (browsers, OS, devices)
Which browsers does it work on?
Any Chromium-based browser: Google Chrome, Microsoft Edge, Brave, Arc, Opera, Vivaldi, and others. Firefox and Safari are not supported because they use different extension APIs and a different print engine.
Does it work on Mac, Windows, and Linux?
Yes, on all three. The extension runs inside Chrome, so any platform where Chrome runs is supported. PDF output is platform-independent.
Does it work on Chromebooks?
Yes. ChromeOS runs the standard Chrome extension system. Install from the Web Store the same way you would on any other platform.
Does it work on Chrome for Android?
Chrome on Android does not support extensions — that's a Google platform limitation, not an extension issue. For Android, our standalone Convert: Web to PDF Android app is in development for the Play Store.
Will there be a Firefox version?
Not on the immediate roadmap. Firefox's extension API does not expose Chrome's DevTools Protocol, which is what produces the real selectable-text PDFs. A Firefox version would need a different architecture and a quality trade-off.
Will there be a Safari version?
Same situation as Firefox. Safari uses its own extension API and a different print engine. We're tracking demand — if you'd use a Safari version, tell us at the feedback form.
Will there be an iOS / iPad app?
iOS app development is on the roadmap after the Android app stabilizes. Apple's restrictions on WebView-print apps make this technically harder than Android, but doable.
Does it work in Incognito / private mode?
Yes, if you grant Chrome's Incognito permission for the extension. Visit chrome://extensions, find Convert: Web to PDF, click Details, and enable "Allow in Incognito". Conversion behaves identically to normal mode.
Will it conflict with other Chrome extensions like dark mode or ad blockers?
Generally no — those extensions modify how the page renders, and the conversion captures whatever the page renders at convert time. uBlock-blocked ads stay blocked in the PDF. Dark Reader's dark theme is captured as dark. Reader-mode extensions and our Article Mode may sometimes conflict — disable one if the output looks off.
12. File management & keyboard shortcuts
Where are PDFs saved by default?
To your browser's default download folder — typically ~/Downloads on Mac/Linux, C:\Users\<you>\Downloads on Windows. You can change Chrome's download folder in Settings → Downloads.
Can I auto-organize PDFs into a subfolder?
Yes. In the extension's Settings page, set a default subfolder name. New PDFs will be saved to ~/Downloads/<subfolder>/<filename>.pdf, with the subfolder created automatically.
How is the default filename generated?
From the webpage's <title> element, sanitized to remove invalid filename characters. So if you're saving "How to bake bread - Smitten Kitchen", the file becomes "How to bake bread - Smitten Kitchen.pdf". You can edit it in the preview tab before downloading.
How do I batch-convert multiple URLs at once?
Not yet supported in v1.0.14. Batch conversion of a list of URLs is on the v1.0.15+ roadmap. For now, opening each tab and pressing Ctrl+Shift+P to convert is the workaround.
What's the keyboard shortcut to convert the current page?
Ctrl+Shift+P (Cmd+Shift+P on Mac) — converts the current page with default settings, opens preview. Ctrl+Shift+S (Cmd+Shift+S on Mac) — fires Article Mode, skips the preview, downloads immediately.
Can I change the keyboard shortcut?
Yes. Visit chrome://extensions/shortcuts in your address bar and find Convert: Web to PDF. You can bind any combination Chrome allows.
How do I trigger a convert from the right-click menu?
Right-click anywhere on the page → "Convert this page to PDF". The extension uses your default settings (paper size, orientation, etc.) and shows the preview tab when done. You can also right-click a link and choose "Convert linked page to PDF" to convert a different page without navigating to it.
13. Troubleshooting
The extension won't open — what do I do?
Try (1) clicking the extension icon directly instead of the keyboard shortcut, (2) reloading the page you're trying to convert, (3) restarting Chrome. If the icon shows but the popup doesn't appear, the page may be a Chrome-internal page (chrome://, chrome-extension://, the Web Store) — the extension cannot run on those by design.
I get "Cannot convert this page (browser internal page)" — why?
Chrome blocks extensions from running on chrome:// pages, chrome-extension:// pages, the Chrome Web Store, and a few special URLs (chrome://newtab and Chrome's settings, for example). This is a Chrome security rule, not an extension bug. To convert one of these pages, take a screenshot instead.
The PDF download is empty / 0 bytes — why?
Usually the page has not finished rendering when conversion fired. Wait until the page is fully settled (no loading spinners, no "loading" text), then retry. If it persists on a specific site, try Article Mode — it waits for the readable content to settle before capturing.
The PDF has only one page when the webpage is very long — why?
Single Page Mode might be enabled. Disable it in the popup if you want page breaks. If Single Page is off and the PDF is still truncated, the page may be using virtual scrolling (only DOM near the scroll position exists) — see the relevant FAQ on dynamic content.
The conversion is slow / takes more than 30 seconds — why?
Likely causes: (1) very long page, (2) heavy JavaScript that's still running, (3) many large images, (4) network-loaded fonts. Wait — most pages complete in 5–10 seconds. If a specific site is consistently slow, send us the URL and we'll investigate.
Conversion fails after a recent Chrome update — what now?
Chrome occasionally changes DevTools Protocol behavior, which can break PDF extensions briefly. Check for an extension update first (chrome://extensions, click "Update"). If you're on the latest version and conversion still fails, send us the URL and Chrome version through the in-app feedback form.
The extension icon disappeared from my toolbar — where is it?
Click the puzzle-piece icon in Chrome's toolbar — it'll show all installed extensions. Find Convert: Web to PDF and click the pin icon to bring it back to the toolbar.
The PDF has odd fonts or missing characters — why?
Almost always because the page uses fonts that didn't finish loading before capture. Try waiting a few seconds after the page loads, then convert. If you regularly hit this on a specific site, switch to Article Mode (it uses a fallback font stack that always loads).
I see a security warning when installing the extension — should I be worried?
Chrome's standard prompt lists the permissions the extension uses. "Read and change all your data on all websites" is the broad form of activeTab — it's required for any extension that can act on the current page. Our use is limited to converting the page on demand. Full breakdown is in the FAQ entry about permissions above and in the privacy policy.
How do I report a bug or request a feature?
Use the in-app feedback form (visible after a few successful conversions) or the uninstall feedback form. Both go to a private inbox we read weekly. You can also email feedback@actuallyusefulextensions.com.
14. Roadmap & support
Will it ever cost money?
No plans for a paid tier. The extension is, and will stay, fully free. If we ever build optional advanced tools (cloud sync, multi-device sync, AI-powered cleanup), those might be priced separately — but core webpage-to-PDF conversion will remain free.
How often is the extension updated?
Roughly every 4–6 weeks. We bundle multiple small improvements into each release rather than pushing constant updates. Each release goes through Chrome Web Store review, which takes 1–3 days.
How do I see what version I'm running?
Visit chrome://extensions, find Convert: Web to PDF, and the version number appears below the name.
Where can I see the release history?
Release notes and the changelog are at /tools/convert-web-to-pdf/changelog/ (coming soon). For now, the Chrome Web Store listing description summarizes the most recent additions.
I uninstalled it but want it back — can I reinstall?
Yes. Visit the Chrome Web Store listing and click "Add to Chrome" again. Your previous preferences are not restored (they were deleted on uninstall) — you'll start with defaults.
I have a partnership / integration idea — who do I contact?
Email partnerships@actuallyusefulextensions.com with a one-paragraph summary. We read everything but reply selectively.